Central Northeast Neighbors small grants program is accepting proposals for 2016 projects. Neighbors are encouraged to submit grants that develop community leadership and skills, build community identity and strengthen relationships and create new partnerships.

Ft. Vancouver Welcomes 4th Grade Students Through Every Kid in a Park Initiative

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site invites all 4th grade students to visit the park for free as part of the White House's new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting September 1, 4th grade students can now go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks.

To receive their free pass for national parks, fourth graders can visit the Every Kid in a Park website and play a game to access their special Every Kid in a Park pass. Fourth graders and their families can then use this pass for free entry national parks and other federal public lands and waters across the country from September 1st, 2015 through August 31, 2016. The website also includes fun and engaging learning activities aligned to educational standards, trip planning tools, safety and packing tips and other important and helpful information for educators and parents.

In addition to providing every fourth grader in America a free entry pass for national parks and federal public lands and waters, fourth grade educators, youth group leaders and their students across the country will also participate in the program through field trips and other learning experiences.

The goal of the Every Kid in a Park program is to connect 4th graders with the great outdoors and inspire them to become future environmental stewards, ready to preserve and protect national parks and other public lands for years to come. The program is an important part of the National Park Service's centennial celebration in 2016, which encourages everyone to Find Your Park.

Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

During the week of Sept. 12 through Sept. 20, the City of Beaverton will celebrate National Welcoming Week with a variety of events and activities. In April, the city council approved a resolution to declare Beaverton a Welcoming City and member of the National Welcoming Cities and Counties Initiative.

Local activities include:

Beaverton Night Market. Saturday, Sept. 12 from 5 to 10 p.m. at The Round (12600 SW Crescent Dr). An open air night market featuring food, crafts, and cultural performances from places around the world.

Naturalization Ceremony. Monday, Sept. 14 from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Beaverton City Library (12375 SW 5th St). A naturalization ceremony presented by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS Portland Field Office Director will administer the oath of allegiance to 52 local immigrants from 29 nations.

Citizenship Corner Open House. Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Beaverton City Library (12375 SW 5th St). Check out the resources at the World Languages room at the Beaverton City Library for studying for citizenship/naturalization tests.

Human Rights Advisory Commission Cultural Conversations. Thursday, Sept. 17 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Beaverton Building, City Hall Council Chambers (12725 SW Millikan Way). A panel of speakers will share their experiences of immigration to the U.S.

Multnomah County Library is accepting submissions of adult fiction by local authors to be considered for inclusion in the library’s e-book collection and promoted to library patrons.

The Library Writers Project showcases and supports local writers and bolsters the library’s collection of self-published e-book titles. Beginning today and continuing through Dec. 31, authors who hold a Multnomah County Library card may submit original works of adult fiction (no children's or young adult fiction, please) for consideration by panels of library staff readers. The library will accept submissions through Smashwords, a popular electronic self-publishing platform.

Panels will review submissions and select a limited number of titles to add to Multnomah County Library’s Overdrive e-book portal in early 2016. Authors will receive standard compensation for titles the library purchases to add it its collection.

The Library Writers Project will also include classes and training opportunities for aspiring writers. Areas of focus include romance novels, children’s literature, women in the military and writing best practices. Smashwords CEO Mark Coker will offer a talk at Central Library about the basics of self-publishing on Nov. 14.

Presenters Announced for 2015 Secret Knowledge Conference

Secret Knowledge, a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping artists with the business skills required to succeed, today announced multiple business leaders who will present at the 2015 Secret Knowledge Conference.

The 2015 Secret Knowledge Conference is scheduled for Nov. 14 at the Jupiter Hotel in Portland. Registration is now open at www.secretknowledge.org/conference and significant “Early Bird” and “Early Flock” savings are available to those who register before September 30.

In 2013, Kleiman, a Portland resident and veteran of the local arts community, founded Secret Knowledge. A decade prior, Kleiman founded the Old Library Studio, empowering a generation of Portland’s creative teens with a place to write music and make recordings. From his deeply ingrained position in the Portland arts community, Kleiman noticed a systemic lack of business education resources targeted at helping local artists succeed commercially, which led to the establishment of Secret Knowledge.

"There is a clear demand among the artistic community for training in skills that will enable artists to build long-lasting careers--skills that go well beyond talent alone," said Noah Kleiman, Executive Director, Secret Knowledge. "This is evidenced by the volunteering of some of the area's foremost business leaders to share their experience and expertise at the 2015 Secret Knowledge Conference."

Rates for the conference are as follows:

Early Flock: $99 (If you register 3-5 people together before September 30)Early Bird: $179 (If you register as an individual before September 30)Regular: $249

About Secret Knowledge: Founded in November 2013, Secret Knowledge helps independent artists develop the skills they need to grow their livelihoods and works to foster arts-engagement among creative audiences. Please visit www.secretknowledge.org for more information.

Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council Announces First Endowment Award

The Hillsboro Community Youth Choir (HCYC) is celebrating 10 years of bringing Washington County youth together through music, and now has even more to celebrate after being named the first Hillsboro Arts & Culture Endowment Award recipient. The Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council (HACC) will be presenting the award of $3,500 dollars to acknowledge the excellence of the HCYC at an Endowment Celebration on Oct. 1, 2015 at the Walters Cultural Arts Center.

Over the past decade many hundreds of children have had the benefit of music education through participation with the HCYC. The Hillsboro Arts & Culture Endowment is an innovative partnership between the City of Hillsboro and the Hillsboro Community Foundation. In 2013 the HACC, a City advisory council operating out of the Parks & Recreation Department partnered with the nonprofit Community Foundation, which allows donors to make tax deductible donations to a central agency for dissemination throughout the creative community. After less than three years of building the Endowment, the HACC is ready to make the first disbursement from it to the community. The size and number of future awards is expected to grow along with the Endowment.

Central Northeast Neighbors to Host Bureau of Planning and Sustainability at Meeting

Join the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to learn more about the discussion drafts of the Comprehensive Plan Update at the Sept. 16th Central Northeast Neighbors Land use and Transportation Committee meeting. These will implement new directions on land use in Portland's Industrial and Mixed Employment areas as well as the Campus Institutional zoning. This includes Providence Hospital in Hollywood & RCP, and employment zones by 82nd in Madison South and Sumner/Cully.

Examples of the proposed Zoning Code changes include limitations on non-industrial uses, and new standards for ecologically beneficial design in future industrial zones at airport area golf courses. The campus zone will include a review of the transportation infrastructure serving the hospital and add transportation system improvements to the Transportation Systems Plan (TSP) to support the growth of these employment centers. Go to the Employment Zoning and Campus Institutional Zoning Update discussion drafts to learn more and comment (deadlines Aug/Sept).